Seven candidates exceeded legal spending limits during the 2024 municipal elections, while more than half failed to adequately document their expenses, according to a report by the Audit Office.
The findings point to systemic weaknesses in oversight, with the real cost of election campaigns remaining largely opaque. The Audit Office calls for a reassessment of the legal framework governing campaign spending, stressing that limits must be realistic and penalties for non-compliance sufficiently deterrent.
Candidates who exceeded spending limits
The report identifies the following cases:
- Limassol - Yiannis Armeftis: €61,494 (exceeded by €31,494, or 105%)
- Paralimni–Deryneia - Loukas Polykarpou: €28,601 (exceeded by €8,601, or 43%)
- Dromolaxia–Meneou - Nikos Damianou: €14,756 (exceeded by €4,756, or 48%)
- Amathounta - Kyriakos Xydias: €29,550 (exceeded by €9,550, or 48%)
- Kourion - Pantelis Georgiou: €26,893 (exceeded by €6,893, or 34%)
- Paphos - Evros Loizides: €23,315 (exceeded by €3,315, or 17%)
- Limassol (Deputy Mayor) - Miltiadis Papadopoulos: €16,407 (exceeded by €6,407, or 64.7%)
The Audit Office describes these cases as “deliberate violations of the law”, warning that exceeding spending limits creates inequalities among candidates. It has requested clarification from the Chief Returning Officer on whether fines have been imposed and whether cases have been referred to the Attorney General for possible prosecution.
Half of candidates submitted insufficient evidence
Although all candidates submitted election expense reports, documentation was often incomplete. A total of 172 candidates (51%) either failed to submit supporting documents or provided insufficient evidence, making it difficult to verify the accuracy of declared spending. The issue is compounded by the fact that current legislation does not require the submission of receipts.
Majority of spending remains unchecked
Out of €1.21 million in declared campaign spending, only €346,004 was audited. This represents just 31% of mayoral and 23% of deputy mayoral spending, leaving the majority of expenses outside the scope of scrutiny. The Audit Office notes that oversight is limited to advertising expenses and does not cover the full range of campaign costs, including events, gatherings and hospitality, making comprehensive monitoring practically impossible.
Discrepancies and undeclared costs
Significant inconsistencies were also identified between candidate declarations and data provided by service providers:
- 50 providers failed to submit full records or reported lower income
- 73 cases showed discrepancies between provider data and candidate declarations
- 70 candidates declared no or lower advertising expenses than reported by providers
The report also highlights:
- 55 cases of invoices issued to third parties
- 55 payments exceeding €100 made in cash, in breach of legislation
- indications that some expenses were covered by third parties, obscuring financial traceability
The Audit Office warns that total campaign spending is likely significantly higher than declared and does not rule out additional undetected breaches.
Recommendations for reform
The Audit Office proposes a series of reforms, including:
- expanding audit scope to cover all campaign expenses
- making submission of full supporting documentation mandatory
- strengthening cross-checking mechanisms
- introducing stricter and more effective penalties
Key figures from the report
- 337 expense reports submitted
- €1.21 million total declared campaign spending
- €346,004 audited (limited scope)
- 31% / 23% audited for mayors and deputy mayors respectively
- over 69% of spending remains outside audit scope
- 51% of candidates lacked sufficient documentation
Read the report here